Metempsychosis
by LuckyBug192
Summary: She died to save her village. She would gladly do it again if she had to, but this time...it would be as Hinata Hyuuga. / / Nohara Rin gets reincarnated as Hyuuga Hinata. / / A series of non-chronological glimpses into the second life of Rin Nohara.
1. Rebirth

**Summary:**

Rin Nohara died for to save her village. She would gladly do it again if she had to, but this time...it would be as Hinata Hyuuga. / / Nohara Rin gets reincarnated as Hyuuga Hinata. / / A series of non-chronological drabbles in the second life of Rin Nohara.

* * *

 **Metempsychosis**

( _n._ )

 _the supposed transmigration at the death of the soul of a human being or animal_

 _into a new body of the same or different species._

* * *

 _"Ka...ka...shi..." Rin Nohara weakly coughed out. Her brown eyes bored into Kakashi Hatake's dark gray ones. His right arm, hand charged with Chidori, pierced through the girl's heart - the very same girl he had promised their other teammate he'd protect._

 _The young Jounin looked at her, his gaze filled with guilt, but held a tint of resignation (– this wasn't the first time he lost a teammate due to his careless mistakes). His jaw refused to move; he failed to speak the endless apologies lodged in his throat; he failed to ask why she chose to take such drastic measures. He silently prayed for this to be a genjutsu - to not be real - but it_ was _. It was so_ very _real._

 _It wasn't supposed to end like this. It was_ never _supposed to end like this. Rin's eyes slowly fluttered to a close, her breaths faded into silence, and her body fell limp, slowly slipping off Kakashi's arm._

 _He felt something in his sharingan eye shift. For one moment, his vision became even sharper, even clearer –_

 _Perhaps Obito and Rin would reunite in a separate plane, finally able to experience the happiness that they rightfully deserve. And if there's the slightest possibility that they could find it in themselves to forgive him for what he'd done wrong – for doing_ everything _wrong – then…then…_

 _–_ _then nothing._

 **Chapter 1**

 ** _Rebirth_**

* * *

White eyes blinked open.

Rin Nohara was supposed to be dead.

She took a small breath.

So why, pray tell, was she _alive and breathing_?

Rin hastily darted her eyes around the room. She was surrounded by bare wooden walls. A window was affixed to her right. The leaves of a tree blocked the sun and its position, rendering her unable to pinpoint the time of day.

Not to mention the fact she was also trapped in a barred cage. And to add more confusion, she was cocooned in a nest of soft, warm blankets and pillows.

A soft creak of the door to her left earned her attention. She tried to turn her head towards the direction of the sound, but it felt as if her cranium weighed a hundred pounds.

Her heart ( _Kami, she's actually alive_ ) started beating erratically as smooth hands lifted her body up.

She stared in awe at the beautiful woman, who hugged her small ( _Oh Kami, why was she_ _small?_ ) form close to her chest. Her nose was invaded with the sweet and calming scent of lavender. The dark-haired female's gentle smile warmed Rin down to her toes. "Good morning, sweetie." Her voice was euphonious - sweet-sounding.

' _Beautiful_...' Rin wanted to say, but it seemed as if her vocal chords wouldn't work properly. Instead, a soft gurgle escaped her mouth. She felt mortified, though it seemed that the woman didn't even notice her embarrassment.

The woman's lavender-tinted eyes widened in delight, twinkling with absolute love and adoration. "Aw, are you trying to speak already?" She cooed, caressing half of Rin's face with her thumb.

More gurgling noises came out of Rin's throat. ' _What's wrong with me?_ ' She felt an overwhelming dread begin creeping into her brain.

The pale woman let out a small laugh. "Are you confused, my little sunflower?"

Oh, confused didn't even begin to describe how Rin felt at the very moment. Her thoughts were in complete disarray. She felt lost and not in control. No matter how hard she tried lifting her arms and legs, she simply couldn't. It seemed as if she was completely immobilized. And didn't that thought completely frighten her. She was a nothing more than a sitting duck.

She let out a huff of annoyance, but it sounded like a soft exhale, and drifted her eyes towards the one holding her.

The Hyuuga-like woman (In looks, that is. Rin had never met a Hyuuga without that trademark stony demeanor) pointed to her elf and enunciated slowly the words that shook Rin to the very core. "I'm Kaa-chan."

Mother? She never knew what it was like to have a mother; Rin was supposed to be an orphan. She was too young to remember her biological parents, seeing as they had passed away before she had the chance to make any actual real memories with them.

A man emerged from behind the shoulder of the woman that dubbed herself as 'Kaa-chan'. He had pale eyes and long, brown hair. He was clad in a traditional kimono. The newcomer was without a doubt a full-blooded Hyuuga. He looked stoic but his eyes conveyed all the love that wasn't visible on his face.

An uncomfortable tinge of familiarity prodded at the back of Rin's mind.

"This is Tou-chan." 'Kaa-chan' raised Rin's head to fully see the tall man.

'Tou-chan' lifted a hand and hovered it hesitantly above the Nohara's head. After looking at his wife for reassurance which was given with a soft "Go on.", he placed his palm on top of the cradled girl's crown. He let a small quirk of his lips grace his originally expressionless face.

She stared at her 'father''s startlingly white eyes. She saw herself reflected in it.

She was a baby.

 _A baby._

Her skin was paler than her original skin color. Her eyes were pale as well; her hair was the same shade as her 'kaa-chan''s. But the thing that caught her attention was the crest embroidered on her blanket.

The Hyuuga Clan's Crest.

' _Reincarnation? Then this has to be a mistake…_ ' She thought, her eyes drifting from one 'parent' to another. ' _I mean… I'm not supposed to remember anything, aren't I?_ '

Staring at their love-filled gazes caused a small smile, unconsciously surfacing across Rin's chubby face.

On the bright side, it wasn't as bad as it could've been. She had parents now at least.

"Welcome to your new family," her Kaa-san stated, stepping closer to the man beside her who hooked an arm around her shoulders. "Hyuuga Hinata."

(It wasn't until later that day that the reality of her situation finally sank in. She had cried for hours in the warm embrace of her new mother, thinking back on all the things and _people_ she may never see again.)

* * *

 **A/N:**

 ** _The plot bunnies have once again laid siege to my brain last night._**

 ** _Thus, I present to you, Rin being reincarnated into our beloved kunoichi, Hinata Hyuuga._**

 ** _Remember: These are NON-CHRONOLOGICAL drabbles._**

 ** _They don't have a certain order because I'll probably just add new chapters when inspiration strikes me._**

 ** _And as of now, I have a TON of ideas for this._**

 ** _P.S. If you guys know fanfics about Rin being reincarnated into Hinata or other minor characters, please tell me. I'm a huge sucker for those type of fics._**

 **EDITED: 11/21/17**


	2. Enter: Uzumaki Naruto

Rin was six years old when she first met the blonde boy. 

**Serendipity**

( _n._ )

 _the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy_

 _or beneficial way_

* * *

It was on a snowy day.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Your eyes are creepy."

"I bet you're actually a monster!"

( _She remembers flashes of battles. She remembers blood. She remembers death all too well._ )

Rin gritted her teeth at them, trying to hold back her tears. But alas, her young body couldn't do so.

Her lower lip trembled as tears started prickling her eyes and made their way down her porcelain-like face. She tried but failed, to muffle a sob with her small hands, stumbling back and away from the boys.

The three boys making fun of her started laughing at her mockingly.

"Hey, stop!" A blonde boy from behind the trio shouted. He had just been by the swing and happened to overhear their jeering. "Don't fight girls!"

"Huh?" The boy in the middle, wearing a teal jacket, eyed the short boy wearing a red scarf dubiously. "Who are you?"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage! Fight me if you dare!"

The three bullies shared a look of amusement. "What can you do, kid?" The first one who spoke snorted.

The orange-wearing child frowned and placed his fingers in a cross-ram seal. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" There were two poofs that occurred in quick succession in front of him, causing the tormentors of the pale-eyed girl to recoil in surprise and disbelief.

Once the clouds of smoke dissipated, they blinked at the two _miniature_ clones of the whiskered boy. "Huh?" Their voices said in unison.

"I'll beat you!" The first one squeaked.

"So will I!" The second one followed.

...

The three bullies threw their heads back and clutched their stomachs as they laughed, tears of mirth appearing at the corners of their eyes.

Naruto stared, slightly appalled and at the same time embarrassed, at the two tiny versions of himself.

"Take this!" One of the bullies socked him square in the face, causing the Uzumaki to land on the cold ground knocked out.

The three of them took the orange-clad boy's red scarf and stretched it. They played around with it and stepped on it until it was completely ruined, leaving it in the snow beside the blonde boy who was already slowly regaining his senses.

They left, laughing mockingly at the boy who declared himself to be the 'Next Hokage'.

* * *

Rin stood at the sidelines frozen in shock and surprise. She was mortified at herself for depending on a boy her age to save her, a trained kunoichi! (That may have been in the past life, but still. She would _always_ be a kunoichi in this life and the next.)

She was even more horrified when she got a good look at her savior.

Bright blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes, sun-kissed skin...She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment and shame.

She was saved by Minato-sensei's son. The one she had hoped would come to see her as a big sister figure!

Her ears quirked up when she heard the boy announce that his last name was 'Uzumaki'. She deduced that Kushina had somehow blackmailed her blonde boyfriend. Either that or the Namikaze was whipped enough to agree to that. (Which he was, despite his loud protests and strong denial)

She was taken by utter bewilderment at how callously they treated the son of the Yondaime. Were they unaware of who his parents were?

She shuddered at the thought of how the red-head Uzumaki would react to anyone who would dare hurt her precious son.

She was snapped out of her reverie when the blonde boy stood up and immediately fell back down. "Itai..." He complained, placing a hand on his bruised cheek.

Rin quickly headed his way and crouched beside him. She picked up the discarded scarf and smoothed it on her lap. "Are you alright?" She felt her pockets for healing salves, cursing herself inwardly for forgetting to place a jar of it in her pocket. Rin bit her lip and offered back the ruined clothing article. "Y-You're scarf...I'm sorry."

The boy's blue eyes drifted to the scarf and he sighed in defeat, waving it away. "It's fine." The Uzumaki stood up. "I guess I'll go now."

Rin stopped him by placing a hand at the crook of his elbow, to which the boy lifted a blonde eyebrow in question. The pale girl drifted her eyes down. "I can heal you..."

"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head in confusion.

Rin looked up and gazed at him with resolution in her lavender-tinted orbs. "Let me heal you."

"Uh...okay...?"

Rin channeled her chakra to her palm, a green glow enveloping it, and placed it at the bump on Naruto's temple.

The blue-eyed boy gaped at her, awe written all over his features. "That's so cool, dattebayo!" He gushed, his verbal tic slipping into his speech unconsciously.

"Where are your parents?" Rin asked, trying to engage in small talk.

"Oh, they're dead."

The reply took Rin a second before it actually managed to sink in. She jerked back in surprise, stopping the healing process. "W-What?"

"They're dead. Jiji said so. But he also said they died protecting me."

"O-Oh..." Rin felt her throat clog up and hastily resumed her healing.

' _Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee are dead?_ '

She recalled reading something at the library about the Kyuubi attack a few years back. It said the Yondaime killed it...

Rin wanted to slam her head into something. Why had she not connected the dots sooner?

Minato-sensei gave up his life for the sake of the village.

Kushina-nee had been the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki when the young medic had died.

You can't destroy chakra.

The Kyuubi is _made_ of chakra.

Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee were Fuuinjutsu masters.

Naruto's parents died protecting him.

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is dead.

There were whispers of 'Demon Brat' around the village.

Could it be...?

She observed the young boy in front of her. She noticed the lonely and desolate look in his eyes. "Do you have...friends...?" She hesitated to ask. The gloomy expression that encompassed his face, reminded Rin of her loud-mouthed teammate.

The Yondaime's son kept silent, gaze fixed directly on the ground beneath him.

She bit her lip. She had to do something. She may have failed her team before, but this time she won't allow herself to fail again.

Especially since he's Minato-sensei's only son.

Rin poked Naruto's shoulder and gave him a beaming smile. "Hi, my name's Hyuuga Hinata!" She stood up and offered the boy a hand. "Will you be my friend?" 

**EDITED: 11/21/17**


	3. Prodigy

**Prodigy**

( _n._ )

 _a person, especially a young one,endowed with exceptional_

 _qualities or abilities_

* * *

Rin fiddled with her fingers nervously, walking back and forth in her room restlessly.

She had been told to prepare herself for a meeting with the Hyuuga elders. Three Branch House members helped her don a pure white kimono with the Hyuuga Crest emblazoned on the sleeves and back. They also combed her short hair despite her protests of being able to do it herself.

She was not blind to the fact that they held a bit of resentment for her since she was a daughter of the Main House. She had done her best to prove to them that she wasn't stuck up and was grateful for their help.

They left after their job was done with a soft "Goodbye, Hyuuga-sama."

So here she was, in the confines of her room, twitching nervously.

Why did the Hyuuga elders call for _her_ specifically?

She was sure she didn't do anything wrong...

She was with her mother when she was doing chakra exercises.

She had asked help from one of the elder Hyuuga women to teach her medical ninjutsu to evade questions of how she knew that type of stuff.

She had even gone through many huge books to avoid suspicion!

She paced around her undoubtedly big room. She smoothed out the nonexistent creases on her clothes.

"Hyuuga-sama," A knock on her door interrupted her walking back and forth. "I'm here to escort you to the Council Room now."

"I'm coming." She stated as she opened her door and greeted her escort cordially.

The walk to the Council Room felt awfully drawn-out. Each step made Rin feel like she was carrying weights on her shoulders. Her Hyuuga companion wasn't really the best conversation partner.

They finally reached the dreaded room. The Hyuuga Heiress' heart was beating a mile per second. Her feet felt cold and she was completely sure that she was paller than usual.

Her palms started sweating heavily and her thought process started to become scrambled.

 _What if she accidentally mumbled something about her past life in her sleep? What if they know about her reincarnation? What if they knew she was Nohara Rin? Whatifwhatifwhatifwhatif_ -

"Good day, Hinata-hime," Elder Maho greeted, a frown marring his features. "Please sit down."

Rin proceeded to the center of the tatami mat and sat down in a seiza position. She took a deep breath through her nose and did her best to prepare herself for whatever was coming.

Elder Moe stared down at Rin. "Do you know why you are here?"

Rin shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Elder Moe."

The young medic felt numb. ' _KamiwhatdoIdo? Theyknowdon'tthey?_ '

Hiashi, her father, stared at his daughter. "You are what we call a prodigy."

Rin's mouth dried up and she let out a involuntary "What?" She looked at the elders incredulously.

Prodigy? _Her_? She was basing everything on her previous life knowledge. She's not a prodigy! If anything, she was just a cheater!

Elder Hayashi looked at her, his old eyes shining with something akin to greed. He reiterated what the current Clan Head said. "You are a prodigy. We are informing of this because we have high expectations for you." _And beat the Uchiha_ , was left unsaid, but heard by all.

Rin wanted to roll her eyes and on a normal day, would've complained silently about the stupid rivalry between two of Konoha's Noble Clans. But she was too consumed by the ringing of her ears and numbness of her mind.

Prodigy.

They expect her to be advanced at everything.

"Why?" She blurted out. "What makes you think that _I'm_ a prodigy?"

Elder Maho looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "Are you telling me that a normal _four-year old_ could manage to perform chakra scalpels, heal a third-degree chakra burn and read chuunin-level scrolls on medical ninjutsu?"

Rin stared helplessly at them. "I-I see..." She inwardly cursed herself. She didn't know those scrolls were chuunin-level! If anything they seemed only average genin-level.

But then again...even in the past life, she was heralded as advanced when it came to Iryo-ninjutsu.

She didn't even notice that she zoned out during the rest of the elder's speech about bringing pride to the Hyuuga Clan as its brilliant heiress and proving to everyone in Konoha that the Hyuuga Clan was the mightiest in all of the village.

"You are dismissed." Her father told her, cutting her out of her thoughts.

She quickly stood up, managing to maintain her balance and left the room.

A prodigy...

 _Kami, please help me..._

* * *

 **Fun facts:**

 _ **I had the opportunity to give names to the Hyuuga Elders...Here are the meanings:**_

 _Maho - In Czech, his name means 'fool'_

 _Shun- Burmese for 'Garbage'_

 _Hayashi- 'Early death'_


	4. Hyuuga Council

**Wunderkind**

( _n._ )

 _a person who achieves great success when relatively young_

* * *

The room was brimming with heavy tension.

"Why have you summoned me here, Elder Maho?" Hiashi asked, his face impassive as ever. He stood in the center of the Council Room under the heavy scrutiny of the Elder's penetrating gazes.

The addressed elder spoke, his voice loud and clear. "The Council wishes to speak to you about your daughter, Hinata-hime."

Hiashi remained silent. He knew where this would lead. His daughter was far more advanced than most children her age. Especially in the art of Iryo-ninjutsu.

She was nearly able to escape from the Kumo-nin during her attempted kidnap about sixth months ago. If Hiashi had not interrupted, perhaps she would've been able to escape and his brother would have been spared. Although the man knew that deep down, even if it occurred again, he still wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing that ninja to save his only daughter.

Elder Hayashi observed the current Clan Head. "I see you are aware of what we wish to discuss."

Hiashi's face remained stoic as his eyes drifted towards the Elder who spoke last. He didn't let a tinge of his distaste become visible in his body language. The man's greed was bigger than his pride.

The Clan's leader had no doubt that Elder Hayashi wanted the Hyuuga heiress to outshine the Uchiha Clan's very own prodigy, Uchiha Itachi.

Elder Hayashi was one of the Hyuugas who despised and envied the Uchihas for producing two prodigies in the past decade. Hiashi had no doubt that the wizened Elder would do anything in order to one-up the Uchihas.

The Elder Hyuuga plowed on, unaware of Hiashi's thoughts against him. "Your daughter, we believe, is a prodigy. From what we have observed, she is even more brilliant than your brother's son, Neji. We believe that she will bring glory to this Clan."

Hiashi did not want for his daughter to shoulder the title of 'Prodigy' and what the designated name entailed for he knew of the hardships that most 'prodigies' would undergo and more often than what's desired, the 'prodigies' don't end up _sane_.

A prime example is Hatake Kakashi, a renowned Jounin and a student of the Yondaime. A man who's constantly late and has no qualms when it comes to reading porn in broad daylight.

But then again, there is Namikaze Minato to consider. One of the very few prodigies that turned out fine. However his taste in girls could be considered as quite...unique and unusual. The blonde man should be given some slack though, because other than his strange taste in girls, he turned out fine compared to most.

Hiashi withheld a cringe at the memory of one Uzumaki Kushina and that one time he indirectly insulted the girl's vibrant ( _In a goody way, of course. There's no need for her vengeful spirit to haunt him. Her red locks are great!_ ) hair.

Elder Moe continued from where Elder Hayashi left off. "Yes, Hinata-hime is more perceptive than the average child. I have caught her more than once reading books that even most chuunin would have a hard time comprehending."

Hiashi blinked, the only evidence of his surprise. "Hinata reads chuunin-level books?" He wasn't aware of this fact. He doubted his wife was conscious of this as well.

The Elder nodded grimly. "Yes, we caught her sneaking scrolls into her room as well. One of the Branch House members also informed us of this." Elder Moe hesitated for a moment. "And...there is something we fear..."

The silent Hyuugas of the council looked down, their faces grim.

Elder Maho slammed his cane down on the floor, gaining the attention of everyone present. "Her intelligence and ability to understand high-level text. Her ability to perform near Jounin-level Iryo-ninjutsu. If we don't stop her now while she is young..."

The Elder Hyuuga's next words, shook Hiashi down to the core.

"...She may become the next Orochimaru."


	5. Enter: Hatake Kakashi

**_"Time heals nothing unless you move along_**

 ** _with it."_**

 _-Rachel Wolchin_

* * *

"Hinata-sama, don't run away!"

Rin didn't look back despite her caretakers' protests. She ran in between civilians and merchants' carts, trying to lose Hyuuga Ko who was in pursuit of her.

She held her posy tightly against her chest, making sure it didn't get ruined while she was trying to escape Ko.

Her small bouquet consisted of a bunch of Purple Hyacinths and Tea Roses.

 _I'm sorry. I'll always remember._

She ignored his calls, gradually becoming softer and more controlled as they headed toward the heart of Konoha's markets.

Rin inwardly smirked. Of course the Hyuugas would avoid running and shouting where there are multiple witnesses. It was one of the things about her Clan that she could use to her advantage.

She turned into an alley, a shortcut she had discovered in her past life, and proceeded to the Memorial Stone.

* * *

She was slightly out of breath when she arrived. She dropped to her knees, trying to regain her breathing.

She was just about to go over to the Stone when a flash of silver hair froze her on her spot.

' _Kakashi?_ ' She studied his slouched form. He was wearing a standard Konoha flak jacket and normal shinobi gear.

She jumped when he turned his attention to her. "Yo." He gave the young Hyuuga a two-fingered salute. He still wore his signature face mask and his his hitai-ate was slanted over his left eye.

Rin just openly stared at him, her hands unconsciously tightening around her bouquet.

Did Kakashi hate her?

Why did he seem so lax?

How long had he been standing there?

"What's a young girl like you doing here?"

Rin blinked herself back to reality. "O-Oh me?" She pointed at herself.

The silver-haired man gave a slight nod.

"O-Oh!" Rin couldn't fight back the blood rising to her cheeks from ebarassment. She inwardly cursed herself for having such pale skin. "I-I um...I was just..." She lifted the bouquet she held in her right hand.

Kakashi gave a noncommittal sound from his throat and turned back to the Memorial Stone.

Rin took a small step forward and fidgeted in place awkwardly. Exactly how was she supposed to act? This was her _team mate_ for Kami's sake! The _only_ team mate that was still alive.

She paused for a moment. What if he recognizes her?

The reincarnated girl observed Kakashi, biting her lip in hesitance. Should she tell him?

Rin was getting frustrated. She was heavily annoyed that more and more questions popped up in her head without receiving any answers.

She took a deep breath through her nose and proceeded to stand beside her once-team mate. She lowered her bouquet to the ground and recited a short prayer in her head.

Rin stood rooted beside Kakashi, tracing Uchiha Obito's name over and over again with her pale eyes, as a comfortable silence settled around them. It only lasted for a short minute before Kakashi suddenly spoke up. "Let's go, Ri - " He suddenly snapped his jaw shut. His breath hitched momentarily.

Rin's orbs widened in surprise as her head swiveled towards the silver-haired man. "Wha - "

"I'll be going now." The Jounin gave her an eye-smile, but Rin knew that it was strained judging by the tenseness around his shoulders. "Ja ne!" He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Rin standing alone in front of the Memorial Stone.

"Kakashi..." She mumbled in concern, her eyes fixed on the spot that the Hatake had once occupied.

"Hinata-sama!" Ko burst through the clearing. He grabbed her hand and led her back to the Hyuuga compound, all the while lecturing her about proper behavior and not running off without an escort.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the Hyuuga Heiress, a single Sharingan observed the entire exchange.


	6. Enter: Uchiha Itachi

**Sequestered**

 _(_ adj. _)_

 _(of a place) isolated and hidden away_

* * *

Rin leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath. The only sound audible was the waterfall crashing against the rocks.

She had been training with her Jyuuken for the past three hours. Her chakra reserves were lower than normal and her body ached all over.

"I shouldn't have pushed myself too much..." She groaned.

After a couple of minutes, she tried to stand up and let out a surprised gasp when her legs immediately buckled. She clenched her eyes shut, expecting to hit the ground.

She popped one eye open. "Huh?"

"You should be more careful, Hyuuga-san."

Rin whipped her head to the side behind her so quickly that she was surprised that her neck didn't snap.

The boy who had caught her had onyx eyes. His face had long, pronounced tear troughs. His face was framed with dark bangs that reached his chin. But it was the Uchiha crest on his shirt's sleeve that caught the pale-eyed girl's attention.

The eleven-year old Uchiha set her down on the grassy ground.

"A-Arigatou, Uchiha-san." The Hyuuga heiress bit her lip at her slightly wavering voice. "Um...Are you going to train here too?"

The Uchiha boy shook his head.

"O-oh..." Then what was he doing here?

"You're Hyuuga Hinata, correct?" He asked.

"Hai..." Rin wondered where the dark-haired shinobi, judging by the hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead, was going with this.

"The Hyuuga Clan's Heiress..."

"Yeah." She twiddled with the hem of her lavender jacket. "Forgive me for asking, but what's your name."

The onyx-eyed boy's face didn't betray a single emotion. "Uchiha Itachi."

Lavender-tinted eyes widened in surprise. ' _Itachi-kun?_ ' The last time she had seen the boy was when he was four years old being watched over by Obito.

A silence ensued between them. Rin was trying to reconcile with the fact that _this_ was the four-year old she had helped babysit, while Itachi seemed to be deep in thought.

Rin didn't know what was going on in the Uchiha's mind. His face didn't betray a single emotion, but his eyes held a pensive look in them.

She wondered why he was here, in a clearing deep in one of Konoha's forests.

"It's getting late." Itachi commented, looking at the slowly darkening sky. "Can you walk now?"

Rin placed a hand against the tree as she tried to raise herself. She let out a squeak as her legs buckled once more.

Heat rushed into her cheeks. "S-Sorry. I can't yet..."

"Then I'll carry you back to the Hyuuga Compound." He paused and added. "If you don't mind, that is."

Rin hesitantly nodded. She'd be in huge trouble if her father finds out that she ran off without her escort once again and arrived home late at night.

She let out a sound of surprise when Itachi lifted her up and carried her piggy-back style. She hastily wrapped her hands around his neck to avoid falling off, wincing when her arm gave a dull throb.

As he took her back to the Hyuuga Compound, she gaze at the back of his head. She idly wondered once again why the Uchiha heir had been in the sequestered clearing.

She reached her conclusion when they neared the Hyuuga Compound.

' _We're both the same..._ ' She thought to herself. ' _We just wanted a few moments alone. Away from the responsibilities and the expectations. Even for just the briefest of moments. No one can keep shouldering those things forever..._ '

It was that last thought that squeezed fear into her heart.

 _Just how long can she keep hiding the truth from everyone?_


	7. Words

**Hypocrite**

 _(_ n. _)_

 _a person who indulges in hypocrisy_

* * *

The looming gate of Konoha's Academy was creating this unrest inside Rin. She felt like something big was going to happen, and it wasn't necessarily going to be a good thing, at least that's what her gut instincts told her. Not that anyone had noticed.

Her pale eyes slowly drifted to and fro the young students, hoping to be ninjas. Some showed feared, while others determination. There were some who were nervous, clutching their parents' legs tightly, and there were a few who were barely able to avoid bouncing up and down from excitement.

...And, of course, there was one Uzumaki Naruto.

"Hinata-chan!"

Rin was only able to discern a mop of shocking blonde hair before being tackled in a hug.

"U-Uzumaki-san...?" The name felt foreign on her tongue. She wasn't supposed to call her supposed-to-be little brother in such an unfamiliar way.

"Hinata-chan! Aren't you excited?" His blue eyes sparkled with unadulterated joy and happiness, much like her sensei's - his father's - whenever Kushina-nee was around. He practically vibrated with cheerfulness.

"What's that _boy_ doing?"

"He's tainting Hyuuga-sama..."

"Why isn't she pushing him away?"

Whispers - if they could be called that, seeing how Rin could hear them rather clearly despite being a few meters away - drowned the senseless chatter from earlier.

The Hyuuga heiress' fingers twitched in barely concealed annoyance.

Rin had the patience of a saint, most of her peers knew that well, but hearing adults talk down her _ototou_...To put it simply, she didn't appreciate it.

She took a few calming breaths to avoid letting her emotions get the best of her.

The pale-eyed girl observed the young Uzumaki's reaction.

She noticed how his shoulders drooped down a little and tensed whenever a scathing remark was spoken about him. His lips were set in a firm line and his hands were clenched tightly at his side.

But what shocked her the most were his eyes.

His blue eyes seemed to convey a multitude of emotions. Sadness. Anger. Hurt. _Determination_.

The amount of determination in his eyes made Rin's heart pang a little. He was so much like Kushina.

He sucked in a breath and proclaimed with great conviction, "I'll show all of you. I'll become the next Hokage, dattebayo!"

There was a lull in the courtyard of the Academy.

There was loud snort. "As if _you_ could ever become the Hokage."

It was followed by multiple other derisive comments, all saying it was impossible for him to become the village leader.

Rin felt a wave of irritation pass her as she saw that none of the clan heads were speaking up on behalf of the Uzumaki. There was no doubt that they know about the blonde's parentage.

Why were they just standing by and looking at the scene without doing anything?

Her next words bubbled out of her throat before she even knew it.

"Stop it." Her Byakugan activated instinctively, without her knowledge. The adults sucked in their breaths as they noticed that the Hyuuga heiress activated her dojutsu, despite doing so unconsciously. "Who do you think you are? You can't just tell a person to give up on their dreams!"

She took Naruto's hand in hers and announced what probably would've given the Hyuuga elders a heart attack on the spot had they been watching, "As of now, under the jurisdiction of the Hyuuga heiress, the Hyuuga Clan will fully support Uzumaki Naruto as he strives to become the Godaime Hokage."

On hindsight, Rin probably shouldn't have said that. The consequences that came along with it...She didn't even consider.

But what's done is done, she supposes.

Rin narrowed her eyes, having noticed that her Byakugan activated unconsciously, and bit out the next words that would terribly impact the future. "Those who oppose will automatically become _the Hyuuga Clan's enemy_."

For all the times she berated Uchiha Obito for doing things recklessly...She dearly apologizes for being a hypocrite.

* * *

Little did she know that these few words would impact the future of Konoha heavily.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 _I had a bit of trouble with writer's block, so I hope all of you forgive me._

 _Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!_

 _Comments are really appreciated~~_


	8. Promise

_**Note:** This is not __part of the_ actual _story_. _It's just something that has been stuck inside my head. You can consider this an AU, I guess..._

* * *

 **AU scene that takes place during the Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax**

* * *

 ** _"It's hard to watch people change,_ _but it's even harder_**

 ** _to remember_ _who they used to be."_**

 _-Wiz Khalifa_

* * *

"Obito..." A soft voice amidst the multitude of shinobi whispered. Two Uchihas - one, unmistakably Uchiha Madara - stood on top of the Juubi's husk, not hearing the sound.

The other Uchiha was unmistakably the boy who dreamed of being Hokage. "Obito..." She mouthed in disbelief, no sound coming out. ( _He was alive. He was_ alive.)

There was no way that _Rin_ would mistake that chakra, but it was different. It was darker, more ominous.

But still...

Even if it may be tainted now, she knew without a doubt that the chakra signature belonged to none other than her supposed-to-be-dead team mate - her _best friend_.

She felt the breath leave her lungs as tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. "Excuse me," She tried to squeeze herself forward but to no avail. "Excuse me." She said more forcefully, but still she wasn't let through.

Contrary to her usual gentle and acquiescent attitude, she grit her teeth and shoved and elbowed anyone and everyone in her way to get to the battlefront. She ignored the startled sounds and questioning gazes being directed at her.

The only thing she needed - _wanted_ \- to do was reach her _best friend_.

She wasn't Hyuuga Hinata at that moment. She was _Nohara Rin_ once more.

The lavender-tinted eyed Hyuuga finally made her way to the forefront of the horde of shinobi, her eyes never once leaving the Uchiha clad in a blue cloak.

"Hinata?" Naruto widened his eyes. He was enveloped in a golden cloak with black markings. "What are you doing here?! Go back!"

Rin ignored him in favor of staring at Uchiha Obito.

Kakashi placed his hand on top of Hinata's shoulder. "Naruto's right, Hinata. Stay back."

She shifted her gaze to the silver-haired man. "No..." Was her faint reply.

"What do you mean - "

The Hatake was unable to finish his sentence. Rin shrugged off his hand and ran closer to the Juubi, tuning out the shouts and pleads of staying back courtesy of her friends.

"Stop this! _Please!_ " Rin begged, her voice trying to drown out the noise created by the ninjas behind her. " _Please..._ "

Obito, from atop the Ten-tails' husk, blinked at the Hyuuga girl. Did this girl have a death wish, or was she just delusional?

"Do you honestly think that your pitiful begging will stop me?" His baritone voice carried out across the battlefield. The Uchiha was slightly amused at the pale-eyed girl's likely notion.

Rin stared fixedly at the ground. ' _Obito...what happened to you?_ '

"Hinata, come back here!" Kakashi yelled at her.

"No..." Her voice, a mere mumble, caused a curtain of silence to drop across the ranks of shinobi. Did they mishear the Hyuuga heiress?

"I..." Rin shifted her head to take a look at her team mate-turned-sensei, her eyes glinted with remorse and a small bitter smile tugged at her lips. "I'm not Hinata."

Rin returned her gaze to Obito. Tears started slowly making their way down her cheeks. "Weren't you supposed to become Hokage, Obito?!" She heard Kakashi suck in a breath. She used the back of her hand to dry the stray tears on her face. "I promised I'd look after you...I guess I failed, huh?" Her lips trembled and she had to purse them to stop the quivering, her eyes finding their way to Obito's mismatched orbs.

The Uchiha's eyes were blown wide open matching Kakashi's own. Obito didn't know if it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but the image of the 16-year old Hyuuga and one Nohara Rin started overlapping with one another.

"No way..." Kakashi breathed out in disbelief. His attention fully focused on his only female student. The team mate, if his presumption was right, that he had _killed_.

"Huh?" Naruto flickered his eyes between his sensei, his team mate and his opponent. "Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?"

There was only silence in the lieu of a response from Kakashi.

Rin took a daring step forward. "Obito, what happened to you?"

The Uchiha in question remained quiet.

The forces of the Allied Shinobi Nations watched the exchange with baited breaths.

"Please...let me help you." Rin clasped her hands together in front of her chest. She lowered her head and clenched her eyes shut. "I promised, remember?"

Obito took an involuntary step forward, the corners of his eyes softening. "I could never forget," He stretched out an arm. "So join me... _Rin_."


	9. Enter: Haruno Sakura

**Chance**

( _n._ )

 _a possibility of something happening_

* * *

"You're Haruno-san, right?" Rin smiled at the green-eyed girl.

"Y-Yes." The young girl ducked her head and peeked at Rin through her pink hair. "And y-you're Hyuuga-san."

The lavender-eyed girl hummed. "Ne, what are you doing here all alone?" She twisted her head around, looking for the Haruno's usual companion. "Isn't Yamanaka-san present?"

Sakura shook her head. "Ah, no, she's absent today."

Rin nodded in understanding. No wonder the the Haruno was standing alone outside the Academy doors, fidgeting and looking somewhat lost. She observed the meek girl, who only stared at her classmates and, from the looks of it, didn't plan on attempting to join them any time soon. It wasn't good for children to not socialize with their peers, Rin thought worriedly. After all, these people might become the people you fight along side with or the people you'll come to protect.

The young Hyuuga heiress hummed softly, silently debating whether or not it was fine to ask Sakura to accompany her. She didn't want to seem too presumptuous and scare the girl beside her off. After mulling it over, she tapped the pink-haired girl's shoulder lightly. "Then, would you like to eat lunch with me?" Rin asked, giving Sakura a friendly smile.

The girl in question blinked in surprise. "Ah..." She seemed to be at a lost for words before furrowing her eyebrows and answering. "O-Okay...?" A noticeable grimace crossed Sakura's face as her answer came out as more of a question. Her head immediately snapped back to Rin's face. "I-It's not that I don't like - I just - I mean - "

Rin let out a chuckle. Honestly, Sakura was just too cute and shy for her own good. "It's fine! C'mon, let's eat by the tree with that swing." She started walking away, stopping once she noticed the lack of movement from the Haruno. A confused frown settled on her face, hesitant smile making its way across her face. "Um, Haruno-san? Is everything alright?" Did she perhaps seem too pushy?

"Y-Yes, but...Don't you normally eat with that...Uzumaki?" Sakura seemed to try to keep the discomfort of saying Naruto's name hidden from Rin, but it was to no avail. Rin could pick up Sakura's uneasiness of having to be in the presence of the young blonde.

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Sakura's eyes immediately widened at the coldness of Hinata's voice. "N-No, but the adults say that I shouldn't associate with a - " The girl struggled to get the next word out. " - a demon...like him."

"But, what do _you_ think?"

"W-Well...Uzumaki isn't _that_ bad a person. Sure, he's annoying, loud and likes to prank people, but I wouldn't really _call_ him such a mean name..."

"Then it doesn't matter, does it?" Rin clasped her hands behind her back. "There's a story behind every person and there's always a reason why they are the way they are. Those people judging Naruto - calling him a 'demon' - don't define his character, they define _theirs_."

Sakura fell into a contemplating silence. "I-I guess..." Sakura let her eyes drift slightly to the side, before focusing back on the Hyuuga Heiress. But this time there was a noticeable sparkle in her green orbs, like something akin to awe or wonder. "You're really smart, aren't you, Hyuuga-san?"

Rin felt a bit of heat coloring her pale cheeks. "I'm n-not...really..." Perhaps she went slightly overboard with the mini-speech.

"You're really nice too!"

"Haruno-san, thank you, but - "

"You were really amazing too when you stood up for Uzumaki - "

"Haruno-san..."

" - And you're also really strong - "

"Sakura." Rin could feel her face flame at all the compliments. Why was she even so flustered? She's definitely received plenty of compliments before. So, why now?

Sakura jumped at the sudden use of her name. "S-Sorry...It's just that you're such a great person without even trying..."

Rin came to slow comprehension. _It's been so long since I've been praised because I was a good person..._ At the near-end of the Third Shinobi War, she was only praised due to her status as the Yellow Flash's student and medical activities, but she was never genuinely complimented before just because she acted the way she did.

"Haruno-san - " Rin started before being cut off by the loud grumble Sakura's stomach let out. She blinked before laughing. "So...shall we go and eat?" Then she added as an afterthought: "Ah, and please just call me Hinata. We're friends after all, right?"

Sakura let out a soft smile and nodded.

* * *

As they were exiting the Academy at the end of the day, Rin silently assessed the girl in front of her. In a way, Sakura reminded her of herself when she was that age. She wondered what it would have been like had she been reborn as the Haruno. It wasn't impossible, after all.

They shared many similarities. From the great proficiency at chakra control, at least she assumed after seeing Sakura perform splendidly and with flying colors during their chakra control exercises earlier, to the civilian background. But the thing that really stood out to Rin the most was the determination and the drive to become stronger burning in the girl's emerald dearly hopes that flame will never die out.

Kami forbid, if anything distracts the girl from becoming a shinobi, Rin will personally come and deal with nuisance.

* * *

 _A young Uchiha Sasuke lets out a sudden sneeze, his kunai missing the bulls-eye of his target by a wide margin._

* * *

Rin stopped walking, causing the pink-haired girl to do the same, and tilted her head. "Ne, Sakura-chan..." She looked up at the tall structure in front of them, the bright red cross a standing out starkly against the white of the walls.

"Why don't you try becoming a medic?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 _ **I've been gone for a really long time, haven't I? Lol I'm sorry! I've been sucked into so many fandoms the past month and my brain can hardly take it all in.**_

 _ **Anyway, It's been quite a while since I've actually tried writing anything, so my writing style might be off...okay, terrible. Please tell me how I can improve and better it. Suggestions would be REALLY appreciated. Not to mention I didn't even proofread it haha**_

 _ **Whelp, thanks for reading and I hope you have a good day~**_


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